Combination teether and pacifier

ABSTRACT

A combination teether and pacifier in the form of a thin walled, flexible body having nipple, guard and teething portions which are hollow and in communicating relation to each other.

United States Patent Herbst June 13, 1972 [54] COMBINATION TEETHER AND PACIFIER [72] Inventor: Murry Herbst, 43 West 23rd Street, N. Floral Park, NY. 10010 [22] Filed: April 22, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 30,645

[52] 11.8. C1 ..l28/360 51 Int. Cl. ..A61j 17 00 [58] Field of Search 128/359, 360

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,826,943 10/1931 Maker 128/359 3,267,937 8/1966 Verschoor 128/360 3,289,986 12/ 1 966 Martin 128/359 2,532,116 11/1950 Monaco ..l28/359 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 396,565 l/1909 France 128/360 641,314 8/1950 Great Britain 128/360 788,905 1/1958 Great Britain ..l28/360 Primary Examinew-Channing L. Pace Attorney-Philip G. Hilbert [57] ABSTRACT A combination teether and pacifier in the form of a thin walled, flexible body having nipple, guard and teething portions which are hollow and in communicating relation to each other.

, 8 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 13 I972 INVENTOR. Murry Herbst @32 5. W

ATTORNEY COMBINATION TEETHER AND PACIFIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Teething devices and pacifiers are common in the art as separate devices. However, when teethers are combined with pacifiers, the teether portions are usually of a rigid nature and the guard disc is also quite rigid.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a combination teether and pacifier, wherein all portions thereof including the guard are of a soft, flexible nature.

Another object of this invention is to provide a teether and pacifier wherein the teether and pacifier portions are hollow, and the guard portion therebetween is also hollow and in communication with the teether and pacifier portions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described, wherein a soft compressible body of gel or liquid fills the hollow portions thereof; the device and its compressible contents being adapted to be cooled before use, to attain maximum soothing effects for the user.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, designates a combination teether and pacifier embodying the invention. The same comprises a unitary hollow body 11 formed of a synthetic plastic such as polyvinyl chloride or other suitable resin, as by injection molding. The walls of body 11 are quite thin, so as to make the device 10 flexible.

Body 11 comprises an annular hollow teething portion 12, a nipple portion 13 and a hollow guard portion 14 interconnecting the teething portion 12 and nipple portion 13 with communication therebetween.

The teething portion 12 is of elliptical shape, with opposed transversely curved wall portions l5, 16 providing an outer convex edge 17 and an inner concave edge 18. The nipple portion 13 comprises a tapering tubular portion 19 with a hemispherical top wall 20 at the upper end thereof and an annular collar portion 21 at the lower end thereof.

The guard portion 14 is of flat, elongated rectangular shape, including a top wall portion 22, side wall portions 23, curved end wall portions 24 and opposed, split bottom wall portions 25. The nipple portion 13 is upstanding from wall portion 22 at a central portion thereof and being integrated therewith by way of collar portion 21, to provide a communicating passage 26 therebetween.

The split edges of bottom wall portion merge with rectilinear split edges 27 of the outer edge 17 of teether portion 12 and curved end edges 28 thereof, to provide a communicating passage 29 therebetween.

The opposed walls l5, 16 of teething portion 12 include opposed, flattened walls 30, located at opposed portions of inner concave edge 18; said walls 30 being interconnected at their outer edges as at 3]. Walls 30 are closely spaced and communicate with the interior of teether portion 12. The walls 30 and adjacent portions of curved walls 15, 16 are formed on their outer surfaces with small, closely spaced protuberances 32, to form teething surfaces.

The walls 15, 16 include an integral hanger portion 33, comprising opposed contacting wall portions 34 formed with a hanger opening 35. Also, wall portions 34 include a tubular inlet portion 36 communicating with. the interior of teether portion 12, to allow for the injection of a suitable gel or liquid indicated at 37, for filling the hollow portions of the device 10. Thus, the device 10 may be cooled as by placing the same in a refrigerator compartment for selected time periods.

It has been found that device 10 lends itself to varied gum and tooth conditions of an infant so as to relieve pain and the like. Further, the cooled liquid or gel 37 in all parts of the device maximizes the soothing qualities no matter how the same is disposed within the mouth of the infant.

I claim:

1. A combination teether and pacifier comprising an integral thin walled flexible member, said member comprising an annular tubular teething portion, a nipple portion and a hollow walled guard portion, said guard portion comprising an elongated top wall, side and end walls depending from the top wall, and a split bottom wall, said teething portion comprising outer and inner wall portions, a portion of said outer wall portion in opposed relation to said guard portion being split to define opposed edges, the edges of the split wall portion of said teething portion integrally merging with the corresponding edges of the split bottom wall of said guard portion, the top wall of said guard portion being formed with an opening, the bottom edge of said nipple portion integrally merging with edge portions at the opening in the top wall of said guard portion, whereby said nipple, guard and teething portions are in communication with each other.

2. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 and further including a soft filling within said communicating portions.

3. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said body is formed of thin walls of synthetic plastic material.

4. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said teething portion is of elliptical cross section.

5. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said teething portion is of substantially annular, elliptical form.

6. A teether and pacifier as in claim 5 and further including flattened wall portions extending toward each other from opposed inner edge portions of said teething portion.

7. A teether and pacifier as in claim 6 wherein said flattened wall portions and adjacent wall portions of said teether portion are formed with a plurality of small, spaced protuberances extending from the outer surface thereof.

8. A teether and pacifier as in claim 6 wherein said flattened wall portions comprise a pair of closely spaced walls providing narrow space portions therebetween and in communicating relation to said teether portion. 

1. A combination teether and pacifier comprising an integral thin walled flexible member, said member comprising an annular tubular teething portion, a nipple portion and a hollow walled guard portion, said guard portion comprising an elongated top wall, side and end walls depending from the top wall, and a split bottom wall, said teething portion comprising outer and inner wall portions, a portion of said outer wall portion in opposed relation to said guard portion being split to define opposed edges, the edges of the split wall portion of said teething portion integrally merging with the corresponding edges of the split bottom wall of said guard portion, the top wall of said guard portion being formed with an opening, the bottom edge of said nipple portion integrally merging with edge portions at the opening in the top wall of said guard portion, whereby said nipple, guard and teething portions are in communication with each other.
 2. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 and further including a soft filling within said communicating portions.
 3. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said body is formed of thin walls of synthetic plastic material.
 4. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said teething portion is of elliptical cross section.
 5. A teether and pacifier as in claim 1 wherein said teething portion is of substantially annular, elliptical form.
 6. A teether and pacifier as in claim 5 and further including flattened wall portions extending toward each other from opposed inner edge portions of said teething portion.
 7. A teether and pacifier as in claim 6 wherein said flattened wall portions and adjacent wall portions of said teether portion are formed with a plurality of small, spaced protuberances extending from the outer surface thereof.
 8. A teether and pacifier as in claim 6 wherein said flattened wall portions comprise a pair of closely spaced walls providing narrow space portions therebetween and in communicating relation to said teether portion. 